Comparison of surgical site infection (SSI) between negative pressure wound therapy assisted delayed primary closure and conventional delayed primary closure in grossly contaminated emergency abdominal surgeries: A randomised controlled trial

SSI has a great burden over the patients and also over the healthcare system in terms of cost and hospital length of stay. Negative pressure wound therapy has a great impact on wound healing and also to decrease the SSI rates. This has been shown in previous studies in closed abdominal wounds. Previous studies have been done to assess the role of negative pressure wound dressing in decreasing the SSI in closed abdominal wounds and other type of wounds. But none of the study have been done to see the efficacy of negative pressure wound dressing in delayed primary closure wound in terms of decreasing the rate of SSI.

Our study includes all patients undergoing grossly contaminated emergency abdominal surgeries through mid-line incision. Post operative periods, skin will be will be closed with delayed primary intention in all patients and will be closed on post operative day 5. In one group, conventional wound dressing will be done. and in another group, negative pressure assisted wound dressing will be done. Primary outcome is to assess the rate of SSI within 30 days of surgery and secondary outcomes to assess the rates of other surgical site complications i.e. hematoma, seroma, sheath dehiscence and burst abdomen and the hospital length of stay.